Why Current A.I. Can't Be Conscious: It's not about predictive processing or the free energy principle; it's about the lack of self-organization and multiscale complexity that enable adaptability.
Behavioral and Brain Sciences September 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x25103610 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that A.I. is not conscious because consciousness requires properties unique to biological agents, and that what A.I. lacks is not predictive processing or free-energy minimization but embodiment, direct environmental coupling, multiscale complexity, and self-organization, including plasticity, degeneracy, and robustness. |
Abstract
A.I. isn't conscious because consciousness requires properties that only biological agents possess, which A.I. lacks. What A.I. lacks that is relevant for consciousness is not predictive processing or the minimization of free energy. A.I. lacks embodiment, direct coupling with the environment, multiscale complexity, and self-organization, e.g., plasticity, degeneracy, robustness, and the properties that enable living organisms to be highly adaptive to environmental changes.